Did that, went there. The one that was most disturbing to me was :
http://www.mediapeta.com/peta/PDF/RinglingFactsheet.pdf. As I said, I worked for them for two years. Joined just after high school, at about 18.5 and stayed till it felt like time to settle down, at just short of 20.5 yrs. old...
I did not see, ever, the trainers, nor their helpers, nor any animal show groups..(dog acts, etc.).. while I was there, ever mistreating their animals. But I was there in 1970-1972, with the gold unit, and I knew the trainers well. I rode standing on the horses backs, rode elephants, and scratched the lions necks and behind their ears! Their train cars were well cleaned and well ventilated and roomy. They were well fed and groomed. The dogs were so pampered, then, that if I were only a dog...! But they were IN CAPTIVITY! Not natural for an elephant or tiger or lion... Horses are domesticated, and so are dogs and to some degree-monkeys. Again, I never saw anything to suggest any cruel or negative or poor treatment, and vet care was a priority... at that time. The trainers I knew valued their animals and cared for them as if they were babies! After all, they had their entire life spent with these animals, nearly 24/7. There were vets that traveled with the show, as well as teachers for any performers children. Again, all I can state is what I saw at that time, '70-'72, on the unit I was on. It was exceptionally professional, exceptionally!!! Not a carny, not TV or movie falseness, and the lions and tigers, if they were unhappy, didn't show it to me as they rolled over and let me scratch their belly!
